


New situation

by storiesfortravellers



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Arrow (TV 2012), White Collar
Genre: Break Up, F/M, Humor, Kissing, M/M, Mild Kink, SHIELD, thieves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-08
Updated: 2014-08-08
Packaged: 2018-02-12 06:58:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2099922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesfortravellers/pseuds/storiesfortravellers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Slade Wilson and Neal Caffrey are a couple, but Slade is falling for Melinda May.</p>
            </blockquote>





	New situation

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 12 Characters meme for the prompt: Slade and Neal are together but then Slade realizes he should be with Melinda.

It starts when Slade hires Neal for a job. He needs a thief, and he hears Caffrey's the best.

Slade doesn't care for Neal's charm and he says so; charm, he thinks, is useless.

After Neal uses some pretty lies and a prettier smile to get Slade out of a cell with 10 guards, Neal looks insufferably smug. Slade has no choice but to wipe that smirk off his face.

They kiss, and Neal moans, deep, guttural, like he wants Slade to take him apart. At the hotel, Slade tosses Neal on the bed, climbs on him, presses his wrists into the mattress and Neal arches up against him and has the nerve to demand that Slade stop being so gentle.

It's sloppy and sweaty and feels damn good after a hell of a day.

They keep working together, keep blowing off steam together too. It's a bad idea but Neal's never been one for self-denial and Slade figures he's had enough of it.

\--

ARGUS and Interpol and a whole lot of other agencies want them, but it's SHIELD who finally brings them in. Slade's strategy and strength and Neal's finesse and craft were a tough collaboration to beat.

A woman named Agent May figured out their next move and surprised Slade in the sub-basement and proceeded to kick him in the face until he lost consciousness. Then she looked at Neal and Neal surrendered. (Why cause a stir when you can always escape later?)

It turned out that SHIELD needed them to infiltrate a HYDRA facility; Slade had an old contact there that would get them in, then Neal would do the legwork getting the computer files out.

The op went so well that May made them a deal: work for her and they'd be free in five years instead of put away for life.

"I've made deals like that," Neal said, "And I don't think I'm the reforming type."

"I don't care if you reform. You're going to do everything I say at a superb level of performance, and much later, I'll give you your freedom in return," she said.

Slade grinned. "I knew I liked you," he said, smiling at Melinda. Neal pretended not to notice.

\--

A month later, Neal tells Slade that he's going to escape.

"SHIELD will track you down," Slade says.

"Since when do you care who's chasing? Besides, SHIELD has much bigger fish to fry."

"Why not wait a while?"

"You know why," Neal says, holding his gaze.

Slade sighs. "You and your code. You can't avoid killing when dealing with people like HYDRA, Neal. I agreed to keep our hands clean when it was just us, because it was just stealing. But what we're doing now, it's important."

Neal smiles. "I'm glad you're happier now."

"I'm not--"

"Sure you are. You're a soldier, not a criminal. And I'm the opposite. I need to steal, you need to serve."

"You could just as easily say that you need to show mercy, I need to kill."

"I'm not saying you don't have issues," Neal says, and actually manages to get a laugh out of Slade. "But... I'm happy for you. That you found your way back to... you know."

Slade frowns. "So I take it you're not asking me to come with you."

Neal smiles again, this time a little sad. "We both know you'd say no. And we both know it's not just for the mission."

Slade looks guilty, but Neal says, "It's okay. You and I were... what we were. And Melinda is pretty great."

"She and I have never--"

"I know," Neal says, "But when I'm gone, I'm sure you'll be devastated at the loss of my incredible sexual skills. It's okay if you seek comfort in her arms." He smirks at Slade.

Slade rolls his eyes, then turns serious again. "She's not why you're leaving, is she? I mean-"

"You know why I'm leaving. I have to. But you're better off here.... I guess all you needed was someone to kick your ass and give you orders."

"Shut up, Caffrey."

Neal leans forward and gives him a long kiss. "Not a chance," he says then, and backs out of the room, giving a little wave.

Slade waves back. He knows that Neal will be gone within minutes, and that even SHIELD might not ever be able to find him.

"Good luck, Neal," Slade whispers under his breath. Then he goes back to looking over the blueprints for the next day's mission.


End file.
